Sunday, with any luck, you’ll be on the receiving end of some appreciation. If, however, in your capacity as a daughter/daughter-in-law you are still looking for the right way to give and can’t bear to send the usual, here’s our thought for a meaningful way to approach Mother’s Day…
   
Embrace the real spirit of motherhood this year by being truly GIVING…

Perhaps our Unicef Momorandum last week got us thinking along these lines, but for the mom who doesn’t need another vase of flowers or spa basket, we were inspired to make special donations in honor of our own moms to help other families less fortunate. Two good possibilities:
 

Honor thy mother with a gift to the Make-A-Wish Foundation… The Make-A-Wish Foundation fulfills the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions; since granting one boy’s wish to be a police officer back in 1980, they’ve grown to grant a child’s wish in the U.S. every 41 minutes. If you go to wish.org, they have special Mother’s Day cards that can be sent to your mom acknowledging your gift (suggested minimum: $20). Worried it’s too late to wait for the mail? There are printable certificates as well. www.wish.org

Another fitting option: honor your mom with a gift to Women-in-Need... Women-in-Need is a non-profit organization that serves women and children who are homeless and disadvantaged. Look for the “Mother’s Day” option when you donate; a $25 gift entitles you to a personalized card that they will send to the mom you designate. For a gift of $50 or more, they will also send a keepsake tin gift package. Donations bring hope and necessary provisions to these mothers and their children. www.women-in-need.org

Still feel like your mom needs a more tangible gift for herself? You can accomplish both by ordering her a gift from Giftback.com. The site offers a range of gifts for all occasions– including Mother’s Day– but its point of difference is that with any gift you send, 10% of the purchase price will be donated to a charity you choose from their list of hundreds. (So you can still send the flowers or gift basket, but with an altruistic add-on; some, like this one, have additional charitable benefits). Express shipping and same-day delivery on certain items still available. www.giftback.com